Hydraulic tilt limiting control for continuous miner



C. J. ARNDT Nov. 1, 1966 HYDRAULIC TILT LIMITING CONTROL FOR CONTINUOUS MINER Filed Dec. 26, 1963 5 SheecsSheet 1 INVENTOR f n \r CHARLES J A RNOT ddy% FF Nov. 1, 1966 c, J, ARNDT 3,282,627

HYDRAULIC TILT LIMITING CONTROL FOR CONTINUOUS MINER Filed Dec. 26, 1963 5 Sheets-Sheet-2 8 & s

UN)-\ -l- R M & :8

Ln k w l\ Q I\ m 8 3 Q Q 0) "F mNy k h s D a 6.7% Q

wig Q L I 2 m 1 1 *Li L N IT. (I) 23 L z Z a: g 5 i Q 0) INVENTOR. CHARLES J ARNDT NOV. 1, 1966 c. N T 3,282,627

.HYDRAULIC TILT LIMITING CONTROL FOR CONTINUOUS MINER Filed Dec. 26, 1963 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR.

CHA RL E8 J ARNDT Zia United States Patent Oflice 3,282,627 Patented Nov. 1, 1966 HYDRAULIC TILT LIMITING CONTROL FOR CONTINUOUS MINER Charles J. Arndt, Harvey, Ill., assignor to Goodman Manufacturing Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Filed Dec. 26, 1963, Ser. No. 333,302 6 Claims. (Cl. 299-1) This invention relates to improvements in control means for limiting tilting of the cutting assembly of continuous mining machines.

In continuous mining machines of the boring type, a cutter frame structure usually carries a cutting assembly at its front end and is mounted on the main frame of the machine on front elevating jacks, which serve to elevate and tilt the cutter frame structure and cutting assembly, and is held in place and tilted by one or more tilting jacks spaced rearwardly of the elevating jacks and tilting the cutter frame structure about the pivotal connections of the elevating jacks to the main frame.

In order that the machine may efliciently mine seams of coal of various thicknesses and of diflerent contours, the machine must have a wide range of adjustment and due to the fact that the machine is operating in confined areas, and due to this wide range of adjustment of the machine and lack of attention of the operator of the machine at times, the cutter frame structure is frequently tilted beyond its capabilities, either by the front elevating jacks or the rear tilting jacks, or by cooperation of both front and rear jacks with the result that the structural supporting elements for the cutter frame structure of the machine frequently break, tying up the machine for uneconomical periods of time. This cannot be remedied by limiting the strokes of the tilting cylinders, without impairing the operating efliciency of the machine.

A principal object of the present invention is to remedy the foregoing deficiencies by providing a simplified form of stop means operated by tilting movement of the cutter frame structure, for limiting tilting of the cutter frame structure beyond certain predetermined safe limits.

A further object of the invention is to improve upon the mechanism for tilting the cutter frame structure of a continuous mining machine, in which a hydraulic jack serves to tilt the cutter frame structure about transverse axes disposed adjacent the forward end portion of the machine, by providing valve means in the hydraulic system operated by tilting movement of the cutter frame structure and limiting tilting movement of the cutter frame structure beyond certain predetermined safe limits.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a simplified and improved support and elevating structure for supporting the cutter frame structure on the main frame of a continuous mining machine, in which the cutter frame structure is supported adjacent the forward end portion of the main frame on hydraulic jacks for vertical adjustable and tilting movement with respect to the main frame, and is supported rearwardly of its rear end on another hydraulic tilting jack tilting the cutter frame structure about the axes of connection of the front elevating jacks to the main frame, in which valve means are provided for supplying fluid under pressure to the front elevating jacks and rear tilting jacks independently of each other and in which a manifold and a shut ofi valve operated by tilting movement of the cutter frame structure is provided between the control valve means and the jacks, and is operated 'by tilting movement of the cutter frame structure to shut off the supply of fluid under pressure to certain of said jacks and to thereby limit tilting movement of the cutter frame structure.

These and other objects of the invention will appear from time to time as the following specification proceeds and with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary view in side elevation of the front end portion of a continuous mining machine of the boring type with certain parts broken awa and certain other parts shown in longitudinal section in order to illustrate certain features of the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary fluid diagram illustrating the control valves and fiuid connections to the elevating and tilting cylinders; and

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary top plan view of the machine looking at the machine substantially along lines 3--3 of FIGURE 1.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings, I have shown in FIGURE 1, the front end portion of a continuous mining machine of the boring type having a mobile base or main frame 10 having a cutter frame structure 11 adjustably supported at the forward end of said main frame and extending in advance thereof. The cutter frame structure 11 is supported on the main frame for vertical and angular adjustment with respect thereto to conform a pair of laterally spaced rotary boring heads 12 (FIGURE 2) to a seam being mined, by front elevating and tilting jacks 15 and a rear tilting jack 16, as will hereinafter more clearly appear as this specification proceeds. The contiguous boring heads 12 are rotatably mounted on and project forwardly of the cutter frame structure 11 in a conventional manner. The cutter frame structure 11 also has a lower trimmer or cutter bar 17 supported thereon in depending relation with respect thereto on hydraulic jacks 18, operable to vertically adjust said trimmer bar to conform to the cutting diameters of the boring heads 12 and to raise said trimmer bar when tramrning the machine from working place to working place.

The trimmer bar 17 has a trimmer chain 19 guided for movement therealong, which is also guided to move along a top trimmer bar (not shown) in a conventional manner, to trim the cusps left between the boring heads, and extending upwardly of the mine floor and depending from the mine roof.

The machine also has a conveyor 20 extending therealong from a position adjacent the ground in advance of the forward end of the machine and rearwardly therealong. The conveyor 20 is a conventional form of laterally flexible chain and flight conveyor and is no part of the present invention so need not herein be shown or described further.

The front elevating jacks 15, 15, as shown in FIG- URES 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings, comprise hydraulic cylinders 21 mounted on the rear wall 22 of the cutter frame structure 11 and depending therefrom. The hydraulic cylinders 21 have piston rods 23 extensible and retra-ctible with respect to the lower ends thereof and diagrammatically shown in FIGURE 2 as having downwardly opening semispherical sockets 25 therein forming universal bearing sockets for rigid load transmitting members 26. The load transmitting members 26 in turn have universal bearing engagement with upwardly facing sockets 27 formed in cup-like supports suitably mounted on the main frame 10 and supporting the load transmitting members 26 and the cutter frame structure 11 for tilting movement with respect to the main frame 10 about axes extending transversely and longitudinally of said main frame.

The lateral and longitudinal thrusts of boring are transmitted to the main frame 10 by a pair of laterally spaced pusher posts 29 depending from the cutter frame structure in alignment with the hydraulic jacks 15 and spaced inwardly therefrom. The pusher posts 29 have generally rectangular lower end portions, opposite faces of which have slidable engagement with bearing shoes 30 and 31.

J The bearing shoes 39 and 31 are transversely pivoted within an upwardly opening housing and support structure secured to the main frame and projecting upwardly therefrom along opposite sides of the pusher posts 29, As shown in FIGURE l, the rear bearing shoe is transversely pivoted to the housing 33 between the side walls thereof on a pivot pin 35 and senses the angle of tilt of the cutter frame structure and cutting assembly carried thereby. The front bearing shoe 31 is pivoted between the side walls of the housing and support 33 on a transverse pivot pin 36. The housings 33 also form supports for beating shoe 37 mounted thereon on pivot pins 39 and slidably engaging the inner face of the pusher posts 29.

The rear tilting jack 16 comprises a hydraulic cylinder 40 having a piston rod 41 extensible from the upper end thereof. As shown in FIGURES l and 2, the cylinder 40 has a connector ear 43 depending therefrom between spaced upright bracket members 44 and transversely pivoted to said bracket members by a pivot pin 45. The piston rod 41 is pivotally connected at its upper end to an arm 46 extending rearwardly of the cutter frame structure 11. A pivot pin 47 serves to connect said piston rod to the rear end portion of said arm. The structure so far described is a more or less conventional structure commonly used for elevating and tilting the cutter frame structure of a continuous mining machine to conform the trimmer bar and boring heads to the seam being mined.

Referring now in particular to FIGURES 1 and. 2 and the fluid connections to the cylinders 21 and 40 and to the improved means of the invention for limiting tilting of the cutter frame structure with respect to the main frame of the machine, I have shown in FIGURE 2 a control valve 49 controlling the supply of fluid under pressure to the cylinders 21 and elevation of the cutter frame structure 11. A control valve 50 is provided to supply fluid under pressure to the head and piston rod ends of the cylinder 40 as selected, and tilt the cutter frame structure about the load transmitting members 26. The valves 49 and 50 are two valves of a bank of valves controlling the operation of the hydraulically operated parts of the machine and are supplied with fluid under pressure by a pump 51 connected with a fluid storage tank 52 and having a pressure line 53 leading from said pump to the valves 49 and 50.

An overload relief valve 55 is connected from the pressure line 53 upstream of the valves 49 and 50, to the tank 52. A return line 56 leads from the valves 49 and 50 to the tank 52, to return fluid to said tank.

A line 57 leads from the valve 49 to a manifold or valve block 59 of a distributor or shut off valve 60 and has communication with a valve chamber 61 in said valve block through a port 62.

, The valves 50 has lines 63 and 64 leading therefrom and connected with the valve chamber 61 through ports 65 and 66, for selectively supplying fluid under pressure to said valve chamber.

The shut off or stop valve 60 is shown in FIGURE 2 as being a spool type of valve having a valve spool 67 movable along the valve chamber 61, in accordance with tilting movement of the cutter frame structure 11 and pusher posts 29.

The valve spool 67 is operated by a lever arm 69 depending from the bearing shoe or thrust absorbing member 30, and suitably secured thereto. The lever arm 69 extends between the furcations of a bifurcated connector 70 and is pivotally connected thereto 'as by :a pivot pin 71. The connector 70, as shown in FIGURE 2, has a rod 72 threaded therein, having a piston 73 on the outer end thereof slidably movable in a cylinder 74. Overtravel springs 75 and 76 are seated in said cylinder on opposite sides of the piston 73 and normally hold said piston from movement with respect to said cylinder, but yield upon overtravel of the pusher posts 29. A rod 77 is suitably secured to a closed end 78 of the cylinder 74 and is threaded within a bifurcated connector 79, the furcations of which extend along opposite sides of a stem 80 of the valve spool 67, and are pivotally connected thereto as by a pivot pin 81.

The valve spool 67 is of a conventional type and has a land 82 cooperating with the port 65 leading into the valve chamber 61 and with a port 83 leading from said valve chamber and connected with the piston rod end of the cylinder 40 by a pressure line 84.

The valve spool 67 also has a land 85 operable to block the flow of fluid under pressure from the port 66 to a pressure port 86 leading from the valve chamber 61 and connected with the head end of the cylinder 40, through a pressure line 87.

A third land 88 of the valve spool 67 cooperates with the pressure port 62 and a port 89 leading from the valve chamber 61 to a pressure line 90, connected with the head ends of the cylinders 21. A check valve 91 is provided in the pressure line to block the return of fluid from the head ends of the cylinders 21 to the valve chamber 61. A branch line 93 isconnected with the pressure line 99 and enters the valve chamber 61 through a port 95. A check valve 96 is placed in the branch line 93 to accommodate the return of fluid to the valve chamber 61 when the port 89 is blocked by the valve land 88, but to prevent fluid under pressure from entering the pressure line 90 from the port 62. A return line 97 is connected with the pressure line 84 for returning fiuid to the valve 50 and to the tank 52 to the return line 56. The return line 97 has a check valve 99 therein accommodating the flow of fluid through the valve 50, to be returned to tank, but preventing the flow of fluid under pressure through the return line 97 to the pressure line 84.

In a like manner, a return line 100 leads from the pressure line 87 to the line 64 and valve 50, to return fluid from the head end of the cylinder 40. A check valve 101 is placed in said return line to accommodate the return of fluid to tank, but to prevent fluid under pressure from flowing through the line to the pressure line '87.

The cutter frame structure 11 and pusher posts 29 are shown in FIGURES 1 and 2 as being in extreme positions of tilting in one direction. In this position of the cutter frame structure 11, the land 82 blocks the port 83 and thus prevents the supply of fluid under pressure to the piston rod end of the cylinder 40 of the hydraulic jack 16 and limits tilting movement of the cutter frame structure and accommodates the release of fluid under pressure past the check valve 99 through the return line 97, when the valve 50 is positioned to release the fluid from the cylinder 40 and return fluid to the tank 52. The port 66, however, will be opened to the valve chamber 61 to supply fluid under pressure through the port 86 and pressure line 87 in cases where it may be desired to change the angle of tilt of the cutter frame structure 11 toward a horizontal position by shifting the valve 50 to supply fluid under pressure through the line 64 and to return fluid through the lines 97 and 63 back to tank.

The land 88 will also block the port 89 and prevent the supply of fluid under pressure to the elevating cylinder 21 of the hydraulic jack 15. Fluid, however, may be returned to tank past the check valve 96 in the return line 93, ports 95 and 62 and line 57, upon shifting of the valve 49 to its return position, to lower the cutter frame structure 11. i

Upon tilting of the cutter frame structure 11 and pusher pressure line 90 to elevate the cutter frame structure 11 Ill]. cases where the trimmer bar 17 and boring heads 12 may be brought into engagement with the ground by this extreme tilting of the cutter frame structure.

In the neutral position of the valve spool 67, the port 83 will be open to accommodate the supply of fluid under pressure to the head end of the cylinder 40 of the jack 16. The port 86 will also be open to accommodate the supply of fluid under pressure through the pressure line 87 to the head end of the cylinder 40 of the jack 16. The port 89 will be open to accommodate the supply of fluid under pressure to the head end of the cylinder 21 of the jack 15, to accommodate the operation of the two valves 50 and 49 to tilt and elevate the cutter frame structure 11 and boring heads 12 in a selected manner, to conform to the seam of the working place of a mine. The port 95 will also 'be open to accommodate lowering of the cutter frame structure 11 if desired.

It may be seen from the foregoing that a simplified form of safety control has been provided for the tilting of the cutter frame structure of a continuous mining machine of the boring type so arranged as to accommodate free tilting of the cutter frame structure [in upwardly or downwardly inclined relation from a neutral horizontal plane and to block the supply of fluid under pressure to the cylinders effecting tilting of the cutter frame structure by a valve and manifold arrangement, mechanically coupled to be moved in accordance with tilting movement thereof.

While I have herein shown and described one form in which the invention may be embodied, it may readily be understood that various modifications and variations in the invention may be attained without departing from the spirit and scope of the novel concepts thereof.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a continuous mining machine,

a main frame,

a cutter frame structure mounted on said main frame and having a rotary cutting assembly at its forward end,

fluid pressure operated means elevating said cutter frame structure and rotary cutting assembly to mine at different working heights relative to said main frame,

other fluid pressure operated means operable to tilt said cutter frame structure and rotary cutting assembly at each working height of said rotary cutting assembly about an axis extending transversely of said main frame,

valve means and fluid pressure lines connected between said valve means and said fluid pressure operated means for elevating and tilting said cutter frame structure,

angle sensing means carried by one frame and actuated by tilting movement of the other frame, sensing the angle of tilt of said cutter frame structure,

and a shut off valve operably connected to said angle sensing means and connected with said fluid pressure lines to shut off tilting pressures tending to increase the degree of tilt beyond a predetermined range.

2. The structure of claim 1,

wherein the angle sensing means comprise a tiltable bearing shoe carried by one of the frames and actuated by tilting movement of the other frame, and

wherein the bearing shoe is operably connected to said shut off valve means to operate said shut off valve upon tilting movement of said cutter frame structure.

3. In a continuous mining machine, a main frame, a cutter frame structure supported on said main frame and having a rotary cutting assembly at its forward end capable of cutting clearance for both the main frame and the cutter frame structure, means supporting said cutter frame structure on said main frame for tilting movement about an axis extending transversely of said main frame and for elevating and lowering said cutter frame structure with respect to said main frame and positioning said rotary cutting assembly at different working heights, comprising two laterally spaced hydraulic jacks transversely pivoted to said main frame and supporting said cutter frame structure on said main frame, a third hydraulic jack transversely pivoted to said main frame and having pivotal connection with said cutter frame structure in rearwardly spaced relation with respect to said first mentioned hydraulic jacks and operable to tilt said cutter frame structure at each working height of said rotary cutting assembly, valves controlling the supply and release of fluid under pressure to and from said jacks, a manifold and stop valve connected between said first mentioned valves and said jacks and opera-ble to block the supply of fluid under pressure to certain of said jacks depending upon the position of said cutter frame structure with respect to said main frame, angle sensing means sensing the angle of tilt of said cutter frame structure, and a linkage connection between said angle sensing means and said stop valve, moving said stop valve to off position to block the supply of fluid to said third jack, to thereby limit tilting of said cutter frame structure beyond certain predetermined safe limits in either direction.

4. In a continuous mining machine, a main frame, a cutter frame structure supported on said main frame and having a rotary cutting assembly at its forward end capable of cutting clearance for both the main frame and the cutter frame structure and elevatable to position said rotary cutting assembly at different working heights relative to said main frame, means for supporting and elevating said cutter frame structure comprising two laterally spaced elevating jacks supporting one end portion of said cutter frame structure on said main frame for adjustable movement about an axis extending transversely of said main frame, guide means connected between said main frame and said cutter frame structure for taking the thrust reactions of mining, a tilting jack spaced rearwardly of said elevating jacks and connected between said main frame and said cutter frame structure for tilting said cutter frame structure about said elevating jacks at each working height of said cutter frame structure, fluid pressure lines leading to said elevating jacks and said tilting jacks, valve means controlling the supply and release of fluid under pressure through said fluid pressure lines, a stop valve in said fluid pressure lines downstream of said valve means, a bearing shoe pivoted to one frame and actuated by tilting movement of the other frame and sensing the angle of tilt of said cutter frame structure, and a linkage connection between said bearing shoe and said stop valve for moving said stop valve in position to limit the supply of fluid under pressure through certain of said fluid pressure lines leading to said tilting jack, dependent upon the angle of tilt of said cutter frame structure to thereby limit the tilting of said cutter frame structure beyond predetermined safe limits.

5. In a continuous mining machine, a main frame, a cutter frame structure supported on said main frame and having a cutting assembly at its forward end capable of cutting clearance for both the main frame and the cutter frame structure, means for supporting and adjusting said cutter frame structure at varying angles with respect to said main frame comprising two laterally spaced elevating jacks supporting one end portion of said cutter frame structure on said main frame for adjustable movement about an axis extending transversely of said main frame, a pusher post depending from said cutter frame structure, a bearing shoe pivotally mounted on said main frame and having bearing engagement with the rear face of said pusher post, a tilting jack spaced rearwardly of said elevating jack and transversely pivoted to said main frame and having transverse pivotal supporting connection with said cutter frame structure rearwardly of said elevating jacks, individual valve means controlling the supply of fluid under pressure to said elevating and said tilting jacks, stop valve means downstream of said individual valve means for transmitting fluid under pressure to said cylinders under the control of said first mentioned valve means, and movable to block the passage of fluid under pressure to certain of said hydraulic jacks, and a lever and linkage connection between one of said bearing shoes and said stop valve means for operating said stop valve means to accommodate the free flow of fluid under pressure to said cylinders, and to block the flow of fluid under pressure to certain of said jacks and thereby limit tilting of said cutter frame structure beyond predetermined safe limits.

6. In a continuous mining machine, a main frame, a cutter frame structure supported on said main frame and having a cutting assembly at its forward end capable of cutting clearance for both the main frame and the cutter frame structure, two laterally spaced elevating jacks connected with said cutter frame structure and supporting said cutter frame structure on said main frame for movement about an axis extending transversely of said main frame, a rearwardly spaced tilting jack transversely pivoted between said main frame and said cutter frame structure for supporting the rear end portion of said cutter frame structure and tilting said cutter frame structure about said front elevating jacks, at least one pusher post depending from said cutter frame structure, a bearing shoe transversely pivoted to said main frame and having bearing engagement with a rear face of said pusher post, individual valves controlling the supply of fluid under pressure to said elevating jacks and said tilting jack, a stop valve downstream of said valves and having fluid communication therewith and also having fluid communication with said elevating and tilting jacks, said stop valve including a rectilinearly movable valve spool accommodating the free flow of fluid to said elevating and tilting jacks under the control of said valve means, and a linkage connection between said bearing shoe and said spool valve for operating said spool valve to block the passage of fluid under pressure to certain of said jacks upon tilting of said cutter frame structure to predetermined safe limits, and to thereby limit the tilting of said cutter frame structure beyond predetermined safe limits.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,735,667 2/1956 Potvin 299-76 X 2,756,038 7/1956 Barrett 299 2,757,917 8/1956 Cartlidge 2996l 2,839,281 6/1958 Alspaugh et al. 299-57 X ERNEST R. PURSER, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN A CONTINUOUS MINING MACHINE, A MAIN FRAME, A CUTTER FRAME STRUCTURE MOUNTED ON SAID MAIN FRAME AND HAVING A ROTARY CUTTING ASSEMBLY AT ITS FORWARD END, FLUID PRESSURE OPERATED MEANS ELEVATING SAID CUTTER FRAME STRUCTURE AND ROTARY CUTTING ASSEMBLY TO MINE AT DIFFERENT WORKING HEIGHTS RELATIVE TO SAID MAIN FRAME, OTHER FLUID PRESSUE OPERATED MEANS OPERABLE TO TILT SAID CUTTER FRAME STRUCTURE AND ROTARY CUTTING ASSEMBLY AT EACH WORKING HEIGHT OF SAID ROTARY CUTTING ASSEMBLY ABOUT AN AXIS EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY OF SAID MAIN FRAME, VALVE MEANS AND FLUID PRESSURE LINES CONNECTED BETWEEN SAID VALVE MEANS AND SAID FLUID PRESSURE OPERATED MEANS FOR ELEVATING AND TILTING SAID CUTTER FRAME STRUCTURE, ANGLE SENSING MEANS CARRIED BY ONE FRAME AND ACTUATED BY TILTING MOVEMENT OF THE OTHER FRAME, SENSING THE ANGLE OF TILT OF SAID CUTTER FRAME STRUCTURE, AND A SHUT OFF VALVE OPERABLY CONNECTED TO SAID ANGLE SENSING MEANS AND CONNECTED WITH SAID FLUID PRESSURE LINES TO SHUT OFF TILTING PRESSURES TENDING TO INCREASE THE DEGREE OF TILT BEYOND A PREDETERMINED RANGE. 